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Post by lilly on Oct 5, 2011 7:43:31 GMT -5
Supposedly arrests were made yesterday at Beverage Barn.
Can't find anything in the news to confirm what happened.
Great to have such an upstanding business as the next door neighbor of the MS/HS complex. Heck, the MS'ers always run there for gum & candy before school starts.
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Post by jdelisa on Oct 6, 2011 6:17:17 GMT -5
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Oct 6, 2011 9:23:30 GMT -5
Quoting from Newsday.com: "But police have assured district officials there is no reason to believe students were buying drugs at the store, said Richard Marsh, interim superintendent of the Wantagh Union Free School District.... Marsh said he's 'spoken directly to police and they said there's nothing we should be concerned about that way.' Marsh said the district plans to step up drug awareness education as a result of the bust."
Really? Don't worry?
Drug awareness education should be a class offered to parents, you know, to make them aware of the drugs in and around our schools.
Some, perhaps all of the Board members are aware of Wantagh's drug situation, and perhaps they will clue-in Dr. Marsh.
I note with interest that only two of the four arrested had their pictures in the paper. The 22-year old from Wantagh was not one of them whose pictures made either Patch or Newsday.
That comes under the heading of "Oh, no...not OUR boy!"
I find myself constrained to limit my comments.
Chris Wendt
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Post by lilly on Oct 6, 2011 10:22:42 GMT -5
That comes under the heading of "Oh, no...not OUR boy!" I find myself constrained to limit my comments. Note that the article quoting Richard Marsh was just put online by Newsday and is not the same one the jdelisa put up. (Here it is. www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/police-suspects-sold-heroin-from-store-1.3226338)I had to read all a few times over to distill. The four arrests were for: 1) possession/selling controlled substance and selling near school grounds (Bronx kid who worked there) 2) possession of a controlled substance (another Bronx kid who worked there) 3) possession of pot (Wantagh kid who worked there) 4) outstanding warrant for n/a (the owner - could be what, parking or traffic tix?) It seems neither the owner or Wantagh kid working there was arrested for the 'controlled substance' related stuff. So yes, "no not our boy(s)" at least in terms of the controlled substance. They, #'s 3 and 4, probably got caught up in the search of the property after arrests of #'s 1 and 2. If they were involved in selling the 'controlled substance', wouldn't it have been found on them or wouldn't they have been arrested for it (since the place was under surveillance)? I think there was a good drug presentation for parents sponsored by 6-12 last year on drugs (reports from other parents who attended was that it was eye-opening). Maybe it's time for a repeat? Times are different than when we were growing up with current Newsday headlines about heroin in suburbia including a heroin-related death of a Seaford teen a while back. Certainly, Wantagh is not immune to our kids doing similar. Some of our kids must be and it would be foolish for anyone to think differently. I know my kids have seen the little plastic bags in the gutter walking home from their friends' houses and that is around the block from me in front of my neighbors and friends' houses, not by the schools. And I hope I don't trip over my words getting this out properly. As a Wantagh parent, places I don't want my kids to ever be are the mini-island at the end of the Beltagh cul de sac in front of the HS, that is "untouchable" to the district. You know, no smoking and whatever else that is a no-no on school property or anywhere may happen there. The second is the Big Toy and the field behind the school at Wantagh El on Friday and Saturday nights. Parents need to understand that kids need places to go and that is one place you don't want your kid hanging out. Suburbia is and has always been teen boredom while at the same time they are socially rambunctious but make your kids find (supervised) places to go (and make sure they are where they say they are). Those are very real situations that affect the town's kids. Lastly, the censorship in this town is silly. Makes us look, well... can't find the right word, but it is not complimentary. Yesterday, I read a virtual lynching on facebook by some "wantagh mommas" then the entire thread was deleted without warning. People should be allowed to express their opinions even if others may not agree with them. And it's ok to not "love each other" all the time, or simply state obvious unpleasantness. Why have a group to exchange thoughts and info if it is ad hoc censored? Similarly, the patch's deft monitoring is deleting comments this morning on this topic - as they now have the reputation of doing so regularly. The bigger problem is drugs in suburbia, not necessarily targeting establishments, and what to do about it. Censorship, virtual lynchings and targeting one establishment is not going to solve anything when the overall problem is all around us. Education and awareness is usually the place to start with situations like this. OK, going back into hiding on this subject lest more bizarre rumors start.
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Oct 6, 2011 12:58:41 GMT -5
I am still constrained to limit my comments, however you raised several valid specifics in you post.
We have a new, interim superintendent, with whom I have no issue, and about whom I know only positive reports. But he is still brand-spankin' new to Wantagh.
NCPD told district officials last year that they were aware of Pot activity taking place at one of our elementary schools in the evening, but that Pot was not their priority, because of heroin traffic elsewhere in town.
So, for the cops to tell the super "there is nothing to worry about" can only be interpreted to mean there was no student caught buying, selling, or using heroin at the beverage barn; I would not extend that comment to the traffic or use of Pot...anywhere in the district.
I think the outdoor facilities of the district serve as attractive places for youth to hang out, and for Pot traffickers to operate after dark. This attraction persists because the areas are not lighted, gates are not locked or even closed, and there is essentially NO supervision by the district of those areas after dark.
Oh, and some parents let their kids roam around at night with no accountability. Or worse, some parents allow their kids to hang out at district facilities with no purpose other than to hang out, while those same parents are sure that, as far as drug trafficking, it's strictly: "Oh, no...not OUR boy!"
I am sure the Board can brief the super on most of this stuff.
The new big thing seems to be prescription pills pilfered from the family medicine cabinet, and traded around like we used to do with glass marbles and baseball cards.
The times they are a-changin'!
Chris Wendt
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greg
New Member
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Post by greg on Oct 10, 2011 9:44:28 GMT -5
The simple fact that there is a 'Beverage Barn' allowed so close to the school is disturbing, let alone being busted for drug traffic... and yet there they are 'open for business' over the weekend... are there any plans to boycott this establishment and/or protest to shut this place down?? I'd be more than happy tp devote some free time.
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Post by Chris_Wendt on Oct 10, 2011 11:18:42 GMT -5
The State Liquor Authority has launched an investigation. They are the only ones with some authority over this business.
You could contact them: Enforcement If you would like to make a complaint about an establishment or have questions on enforcement issues, please call (518) 474-3114 and select option 3 or send an email to: Enforcement@sla.ny.gov
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You could also contact NY State Senator Fuschillo.
Regards,
Chris Wendt
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